Thrustmaster Hotas Cougar PC Flight Stick Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been using the Cougar for over a year now and have concluded that it is a combination of the best and the worst in consumer products. In the end analysis it is ok for someone who doesn't mind tinkering, modifying and repairing. If it wasn't for the online community I would have thrown my Cougar away a long time ago. These guys are the BEST thing going for the Cougar. Support from the manufacturer is far from acceptable. Now for the good and the bad.
This product has a great feel about it. Largely because it's all metal, heavy and seems durable. The metal, however, is very soft and, consequently, easy to strip threads. The switches and pots are low quality. Replacement pots are only available through the manufacturer as they were specially made. (I think by CTS) The Throttle Quadrant has a speed brake switch which is on in the forward position, off in the middle position and momentary on in the back position. The switch itself is the toggle variety. It is guided by a plastic guide that works well when properly aligned but there is nothing designed into the product to insure alignment. You'll have to fix this yourself or the guide is likely to break. Fortunately the procedure is detailed in Frugals World Cougar forum.
Programmability is a big plus with the Cougar. Again, if you are not up to tinkering and just want to plug and play, look for something else. If you don't mind spending some time with your face in the manual and working through a profile or two you will have incredible flexibility.
The throttle itself is rather sticky through its range of motion and there are two detents for idle and afterburner. All in all it is clunky and I opted to remove the detents. As far as the sticky motion is concerned I have yet to find a way to fix it.
The Cougar is not really a desktop item. Sure it's heavy and you would think it would stay put but it doesn't. It is a lot more enjoyable when anchored to a platform. If you are contemplating this purchase I suggest that you go to and get familiar with http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/. They will be your primary support group and you can get some insight to the problems and soulutions that the rest of us are working through.
Pay special attention to the instructions when loading the software. There seems to be a problem with version 2.04 that damages the throttle pot.

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Product Description:
The most realistic flight simulation controller is here: the HOTAS Cougar, lifelike in design, lifelike in performance. This is truly "Hands on Throttle and Stick" gameplay. Based on the actual controller found in F-16 fighter aircraft, the HOTAS transports you to the furthest reaches of flight-simulation technology.From the second you grab hold of both the stick and the throttle, you notice the difference. All metal, black, and ready for business--that is the HOTAS. This controller offers up to 28 programmable buttons, multiple programmable hat switches, and adjustable resistance for the throttle, afterburner, and idle detent. These are just a few of the many features of this revolutionary stick and throttle combo. Without question, the HOTAS Cougar is the controller for true flight enthusiasts.

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Thrustmaster Top Gun Afterburner II Joystick (2969049) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have used this product for about a year, mainly playing IL-2 Sturmovik with it.I have used microsoft joysticks before, and this is a definite step up.I love the big throttle with buttons on it, and the stick is about as comfortable as you can get.The stick has adjustments for tension, but there are no adjustments to the rudder or throttle (which would be nice).
There are 2 extra positions on the throttle, 1 just before the max, and 1 idle- before min.it would be better if these 2 places were adjustable with adjustable tension for the throttle, but it works fine.
I do think the rudder that is on the throttle is useless, or at least hard for me to use.I would like a HAT on the rudder as well, but this has served me very well.With XP, it automatically identifies it, with no setup at all.If you don't have XP, you might have a problem because it does not come with a cd full of drivers.
This is a good bargain at $40, i bought mine for 60 or more.
Don't buy a used or refurbished one. My friend did and his rudder only works 1 direction, and it has little resistance.

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Product Description:
The AfterBurner II Joystick lets you open up your throttle and hit new levels of speed and control!Also comes with custom software, Thrustmapper 3.0, for access to up to 60 different functions you can customize Color -Black

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Saitek J24C X45 Flight Control System Joystick and Throttle (USB) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This product is quite fully featured for its intended use.The three major axes of motion (x,y and throttle) were rather stiff, but are adjustable to the users preference!
The unit is also programmable from a "button" point of view (i.e. keyboard macros) *and* from an axis point of view.This is important because it incorporates three additional axes that can be used (two thumbwheels and mini rudder "pedals" built-in to the forward side of the throttle handle).These other axes can be mapped to various features in your game software as well.In addition to that, there is a tiny "hat" switch that can be mapped to operate the mouse cursor in game...this truly means you never have to remove your hands from the controls...
Now, for the "not-so-good" stuff.IF you are running WinXP and IF you install the drivers right out of the box, you are in for some trouble and inconvience.At the end of the install from the CD, it mentions downloading a newer version of the drivers and to be sure to "un-install" the current ones before loading the new ones.Unfortunately, complying with these instructions also unloads your regular mouse driver as well.This is where you learn how to shut down your system using strictly the keyboard.Fortunately, once you reboot, XP re-installs your mouse driver and all is well.
One last thing:If you are using a USB hub that derives its power from the computer, your new Saitek joystick WILL NOT FUNCTION when plugged into that hub.I have a good Linksys USB hub that says it derives power from the computer, but also comes with an external supply.The Saitek would NOT work unless the external power was plugged in.Just a word to the wise.
Overall, I am quite pleased with my Saitek X45.

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Product Description:
The SAITEK X45 Digital Throttle & Stick combination, combined with contemporary flight-sim or gaming software, provides the most realistic flying experience available. Combining pro-feature content with authentic aeronautical styling, both Throttle and Stick propel gameplay to another level, supplying an impressive instrument set to complete the most complicated of maneuvers. Built to a precision engineering spec, the X45's on-board features are complemented by unlimited programming power and auto-configuration for each game played.Throttle Features - 2 Fire Buttons4-Way Hat SwitchThrottle Control with DetentsRudder Control2 Rotary Analog Controls8-Way Mouse ControllerSystem Requirements - Pentium 133MHz+ class processor, USB port, Microsoft Windows 98SE, ME, 2000 or XP, DirectX 8.1 compatibility

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Thrustmaster Top Gun Fox 2 Pro USB Joystick Review

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(More customer reviews)Best $26 I have ever spent on a game controller. As one who enjoys flight simulations of all kind I was looking for good solid joystick at a low price since I could not afford the HOTAS controllers that flight simulation enthusiasts prefer to use. This was a good compromise.

The construction feels solid and durable and the stick response is as firm and precise as you will likely get for under $100. The throttle, twist rudder, hat switch and 7 buttons are well placed and have a decent feel to them. All in all, a great buy.

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Product Description:
Fully-equipped with 7 action buttons and an 8-way hat switch for point-of-view functions, the Top Gun Fox 2 Pro USB joystick has all the gear you need to fly high and emerge victorious from battle. This joystick is made with a twisting handle that acts as a rudder, a sliding thumb throttle for maximum speed, and an ultra-stable weighted base with non-slip rubber pads. For: PC, Mac® and iMac.

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Logitech 963253-0403 WingMan Attack 2 Joystick Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This joystick is a great buy! The throttle helps lots during a flight game. This joystick is also good for driving too. The base is nice and big, so the joystick doesn't move around when your playing a computer game. The grip is very good and it's hard to lose it! This definatly is the best joystick in the price range.

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Product Description:
A great stick for an entry-level budget. Get a comfortable grip handle, six programmable buttons, and a no-slip, high-precision throttle.Easy set up and precise control can be yours, even on a budget. The WingMan Attack 2 joystick provides performance features such as a rapid-fire trigger, handle and base buttons, a precision throttle, and a comfortable handle-all at a bargain price.

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CH Products USB Combatstick 568 with 8-Way Switch & 128 Programmable Functions Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First off, this review is meant for PC users.Since CH Products is one of the few companies that supports Macs the only joystick better than this one would be their next step up, the Fighterstick.For a Mac I would give this 5 stars.Also, I will be reviewing the CH products Flightstick, Combatstick, and Fighterstick at the same time (using the Combatstick here as the base) since they are all pretty much the same except for the number of buttons.

The first and best thing about these sticks and their partner throttle is that they are based of the F-16's flight control system much like the old Thrustmaster systems from the early '90s.This gives them the double bonus of an added realism connection, which all flight simmers want, and a very good choice of buttons and layout.After all, the military used decades of research and experience to arrive at the optimum joystick design when they made the F-16 and almost all other modern fighters have a very similar joystick layout.

While the layout may look strange and even a bit cluttered at first glance, it turns out to be very easy to use once you get a hold of it.These joysticks are about 35% larger than the old Thrustmasters, this gives them enough room on the head for the extra 4 buttons hats to be used safely, but also means you will actually be using the side buttons as your secondary ones before the top groups.This takes a bit of getting used to since it's different than all the other joysticks out there, but since they are where you would naturally have your fingers on the joystick when at rest it doesn't take long.

I found the layout to be superior to all the recent Saiteks as a result of this attention.The Saitek joysticks of recent years, particularly the Cyborg line, have been designed with looks first, and then a little thought for function.As a result they have been very uncomfortable to use.

Another link these CH Products joysticks have with the Thrustmasters of old is that they use springs to hold the joystick in place and measure it's movements.There are both positive and negative results of this choice.The main negative is that the springs will wear out and break before the current digital measurement devices, exactly how much earlier remains to be seen as CH products is rather new in the game market.Given their solid reputation in the commercial sector I'd bet we will still get a hearty number of years out of them.A last and rather small second side effect is that the brand new joystick is that the brand new springs are rather stiff, and you will experience some resistance when crossing the axis' early on.I found this went away completely after 30 hours of use and wasn't much of a problem after the first 10.

On the plus side the springs mean that the joystick will snap back to center quickly and consistently, making calibration a breeze and programming in a dead zone a thing of the past.Most importantly, you get even more precise control than with the competitors.Not much considering how good they have gotten over the years, particularly the Logitechs, but it's still better.

Finally we get to the major differences between the 3 sticks offered by CH Products, the number of buttons and the price.

First, we will start with the "economy" Flightstick, if you can call a joystick with an $89.95 list price economy.However, a quick look at it's features prove that is its role since it only has a trigger, 3 secondary buttons, a standard HAT, and 2 trim wheels.Also, all the secondary buttons are on the head of the stick, which is a bit of a reach.However, since the buttons are rather large (the footprint was intended for a 4-button HAT) that problem is somewhat countered.On the upside, this it the only joystick in the line that isn't molded for a right-handed person.I'm betting most lefties have learned to fly right-handed by now since most are designed for right-handed people, but I imagine that's welcome news for some of you.

The next one up is this Combatstick, my personal favorite.With a list price only $20 more than the flightstick, and a less than $10 difference and Amazon.com's current prices, it's well worth the upgrade for an extra 6 buttons and another trim wheel.Also, the secondary buttons are moved off the head of the stick so they are much easier to get to in a hurry.This leaves the buttons on the head for tertiary controls.In fact, with my Il-2 setup I don't even use the 4 button hat.Admittedly I play on the lower end of it's realism scale.

If your one of those people who likes to run their games at the highest realism settings you will want the extra buttons of the Fighterstick, because of it's extra hats it has 4 more buttons.Even better it has a mode shift button, basically 'shift' for the joystick.This button toggles the functions off all the other buttons, with the normal hat counting as 8 more.Using this you end up with a whopping 24 programmable buttons.Tack that on to the Pro Throttle with it's HATs and buttons and their special software to add other levels to them and you can have more buttons than anyone should ever need.Assuming you aren't playing flying a bomber in Il-2 with full realism and refuse to use the keyboard.

In the end my only gripe about these products is their high cost, much more than I would normally pay for a joystick and the reason I docked them a star.However, I can understand why they are this high a price.Hardcore flight sim enthusiasts have proven time and time again that they will pay whatever is necessary to get the next best advantage in their field.The fact that they also have pretty much a monopoly on controls patterned off of the real thing and the Mac user field probably factors in as well.

Since I am a hardcore flight sim enthusiast, I still paid for them, and I was always able to give it a positive spin by reminding myself that I paid as much as the throttle and stick combined for my graphics card and I'll get to use these a lot longer.We just wont even mention the sound system.

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Product Description:
If you think it's hard to perfect perfection, our Combatstick 568 will surely change your thinking. We've taken our popular mid-range USB Combatstick, and added the features you've been wanting.

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Logitech Flight System G940 Force Feedback Joystick Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this from Amazon, took the super-saver shipping and received it two days later, on a Thursday evening.The packaging was more than adequate and the controller arrived without a scratch on it.I've now had an entire weekend to play with it so these are my thoughts.

I run Windows XP and, like other reviewers, I ignored the CD and downloaded the latest drivers from the Logitech website.The programming software works ok, but is nothing special.My previous stick was the Thrustmaster Cougar and the flexibility of the Foxy software is in a different world to the Logitech one.That being said, however, I didn't personally use the vast majority of those features and instead downloaded other peoples' profiles from the web.Hopefully, the community will also supply a large number of profiles for the G940.

There is a minor nuisance with the software in that you can't assign stick functions, program a profile or, in fact, start the software at all without the controller plugged in.This is inconvenient,but not a showstopper.

The stick itself feels good in the hand and has a slightly rubbery feel to it.It has a larger footprint on the desk than any other stick I've owned which, presumably, is to accommodate the force feedback motors.The micro-stick on the joystick that looks like a POV-hat isn't, and the castle switch is instead used as the POV.Not sure that I particularly like that choice but the micro-stick can be programmed to act as a normal hat if needed.I've found I need to keep the dead-zone on the microstick axes relatively high to prevent unwanted inputs in flight as the calibration seems to drift slightly.

The throttle unit also feels decent in the hand but isn't exactly going to win any beauty contests.The twin throttles separate easily and also recombine easily.The action is smooth and the friction adjustable.The lit buttons on the throttle base also function nicely as buttons and, I'm told, will function as working LED indicators in the future.One of my gripes with the throttle is about the R1 and R2 rotaries.It would have been nice to have had either a detent or at least some physical means of telling when they were centered without having to look at the painted line on them.But if you're picky about that you can always file a small groove into the center-point yourself.

The pedals are lovely.Nice and solid, and wide enough for me.I'm 6"3 and find them pretty comfortable.I've never actually used any other sim-pedals before but I fly little single engine planes in real life so have a pretty good idea how rudder pedals should feel.

I've been playing IL2 and DCS Black Shark and have been loving the force feedback.At the default settings the feedback is nice and strong, and the force can be ramped up or down in the Logitech software to suit your tastes.Using the trim function in Black Shark and having the stick actually stay in the trim position is fantastic and actually 'feeling' your warbird about to enter a stall in IL2 really helps with both my flying and my sense of immersion in the sim.

The 3-axis trims on the stick are great in IL2 and incredibly useful.Once again, no 'feelable' center position but you can't have everything.

One thing I did after a few minutes of using the stick was to put a little piece of tape over the "dead man's switch".This is a little sensor that detects whether the user's hands are on the stick or not and turns down the force feedback if necessary.It's a nice feature in theory but, especially in black shark with the stick in a trimmed position, I find the stick will jump around if I loosen my grip on the stick and no longer cover the sensor, so I took the decision to cover it up permanently.I just make sure to unplug the DC power to the stick if I leave it unattended.

Overall, very happy with the product with just a small wish-list for extra software functionality.

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Product Description:
An authentic design inspired by military and commercial planes and helicopters provides a flying experience that's more realistic and more fun, with important controls that look, feel and work like the real thing. The force feedback joystick allows you to control your aircfraft with confidence as you feel its movement as well as its reaction to air turbulence and g-forces. The dual throttle allows you to precisely control multi-engine aircraft using the split lever. Rudder pedals with toe brakes give you true-to-life control, especially when rudder control is essential such as performing definsive maneuvers and crosswind landings, or piloting helicopters. Interactive, programmable throttle-base buttons integrate with simulation software and illuminate red, green, amber or off to indicate the status of critical aircraft systems, just like they would a real cockpit.

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Saitek X52 Flight Control System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a previous owner of the X45 flight control system and avid flight sim junkie, I was compelled to upgrade my HOTAS system to something newer.I was originally looking at the Thrustmaster HOTAS system, but could not conjur up enough money to purchase one.After playing with the X52 at a LAN party, I was sold and went out and purchased one that night.

The X52 has loads of improvements over the X45 - not even mentioning the LCD MFD.One addition which I would have loved to see in the X45 are the eight removable suction cups on the bottom of the stick and throttle bases.The cups first out of the box will do some sliding around, but nothing so drastic that it'll mess your flights up.They do a great enough job to keep the stick down during normal use - provided that you don't slam the stick around, but for a flight system that costs this much, I don't think that'll be too much of a problem for most people.

Just like all other Saitek sticks, the X52 is fully customizable in both hardware and software.Not only can you move the lower shelf on the joystick up and down to fit your hand, but you can also adjust the force on the throttle stick.Like all other Saitek sticks, however, you cannot adjust the centering force on the stick itself.But I did not find this to be too much of a problem as it is much looser than all other HOTAS systems that I have owned.The X52 also comes with the Saitek SST programming software, which (again, like all other Saitek sticks) allows you to program every button on the joystick to either an axis, mouse axis, single keyboard stroke, or a complex macro.

I also fell in love with the three modes and color coded mode identification LED to let you know what mode you are in.As a result I can have a mode for A-A, one for A-G, and one mode for general tasks when playing Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, making it easier to keep my hands on the flight system at all times.

The MFD is also a cool addition to the X52.It has a time display to let you know what time it is in up to three time zones, as well as a built-in stopwatch to time your flights and coordinate your turns right on time.And if you can't remember what you programmed a button to - just simply hold down the info button and click the button you want to know about and voila!Your button's function is displayed on the screen.

All in all - a great HOTAS system for those of us that cannot afford the Thrustmaster HOTAS systems.This flight stick runs perfectly with games like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and Falcon 4.0 - my two choices and recommendations to pair up with this stick.

And for those of you who want to know about Windows XP Professional x64 support - the stick works perfectly using drivers available on the Saitek website.

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Product Description:
The World's most advanced flight controller The X52 Flightstick and Throttle combination give the most realistic flying experience ever. With the feature-laden Throttle and Stick split into two separate units, the X52 delivers ideal flying position. Programmability and illuminated Multi-Function Display expand the possibilities for Sim Pilots everywhere!

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CH Products Fighterstick USB Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Being a long time flight simmer and after using many different joysticks, throttles and pedals, I finally tried this one.
With my last stick being the TM Cougar, I learned to appreciate softer springs, precision and overall reliability. Most of these were missing with my one year old Cougar which now seems was all about looks.
Being made by dedicated flight simming accessories company, CH Fighterstick seems to be one of less known secrets of hardcore sim crowd.
At first, I was suspicious because of its plastic feel. The stick is big enough even for large hands, while people with smaller hands may find it somewhat uncofortable.
Springs are very light. This is a plus for me, as it allows higher precision, especially near the center. You don't get to wrestle the springs during your flying. It has great throw, so there is a lot of room for precision input throughout the range of motion.
Trim wheels for both axes help even in simulations without trim controls. Smart stuff.
There is a throttle wheel at the base of the stick. If you have a throttle, this wheel can be mapped to another function, but you won't be able to reach it without letting your hand off the trottle or stick.
Software is excellent and it actually rivals the software being shipped with the Cougar. As with the stick itself, at first it looks toyish. After a while you learn its huge capabilities.
Verdict: The best high end joystick out there - precision, programming abilities, reliability and simplicity being its trump cards.

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Product Description:
The Fighterstick USB is our shining star of programmable joysticks. With more bells and whistles than you can possible imagine, we've designed this granddaddy of joysticks to keep you busy for hours on end. We'll even write your boss an excuse as to why you won't be in to work today!
Main Features
Manufacturer: CH Products
Manufacturer Part Number: 200-571
Manufacturer Website Address: www.chproducts.com
Product Type: Joystick
Connectivity Technology: Cable
Movement Detection Technology: Mechanical
Buttons & Controls: 3 x Push Button, 3 x 4-way Hat Switch, 1 x 8-way Point of View Hat Button, 1 x Mode Switch, Point of View Hat Button, Throttle
Interfaces/Ports: 1 x 4-pin Type A USB
Weight: 2.90 lb
Standard Warranty: 2 Year(s) Limited

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